Piano Man: Marcus Lindeen and Marianne Ségol Bring the Sheppey Mystery to Nanterre-Amandiers
On April 7, 2005, a drenched young man was discovered on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, England, lacking identification. He was taken to the hospital, where he remained silent but astonished staff by sketching a piano. This led the media to label him as "Piano Man." A documentary theatre work inspired by this incident was developed by Marcus Lindeen and Marianne Ségol and showcased at Nanterre-Amandiers during the Festival d'Automne. Lindeen conducted interviews with individuals who met the enigmatic figure. Actors Nans Laborde-Jourdàa, Niranjani Iyer, Anthony Bambury, and Bridget O'Loughlin perform these accounts live. The production, originating from the Théâtre national de Strasbourg, is scheduled at Nanterre-Amandiers from November 12 to 22, 2026, with tickets priced between €8 and €35.
Key facts
- A mute young man in wet clothes was found on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, on 7 April 2005, without papers.
- He astonished hospital staff by drawing a piano and then playing it virtuosically, earning the media nickname "Piano Man."
- Marcus Lindeen and Marianne Ségol adapted the story into a documentary theatre piece at Nanterre-Amandiers with the Festival d'Automne.
- Lindeen, a Swedish author and filmmaker based in Paris, interviewed a social worker, a psychologist, a hospital priest, and an artist in England.
- Performers Nans Laborde-Jourdàa, Niranjani Iyer, Anthony Bambury, and Bridget O'Loughlin deliver testimonies live via earpiece without memorising them.
- The case ended with a young gay man from Bavaria who had fled a homophobic family and was quickly labelled an impostor by the media.
- The production premiered at the Théâtre national de Strasbourg in March 2026 and travels to the CDN d'Orléans and the Célestins de Lyon.
- Nanterre-Amandiers performances run 12–22 November 2026 in the Petite Salle, Tuesday–Friday 19:30, Saturday 18:30, Sunday 15:30, closed Monday; tickets €8–35, duration about 1h20.
Entities
Artists
- Marcus Lindeen
- Marianne Ségol
- Nans Laborde-Jourdàa
- Niranjani Iyer
- Anthony Bambury
- Bridget O'Loughlin
Institutions
- Nanterre-Amandiers
- Festival d'Automne
- Théâtre national de Strasbourg
- CDN d'Orléans
- Célestins de Lyon
Locations
- Nanterre
- France
- Isle of Sheppey
- Kent
- England
- Paris
- Bavaria
- Strasbourg
- Orléans
- Lyon